Abstract

The note reports the effect of the concentration of glacial acetic acid on the structure of the Cu, and of Co and Ni coatings deposited on heat treated carbon fibers. The coatings were examined by scanning electron microscopy, showing that the copper coating consisted of isolated dendritic patches, while the Ni-Co coating spreads uniformly over the fibers. The strength of the copper coated fibers decreased with the increased fiber diameters, while nickel-cobalt coatings increased the fiber strength due to their uniform nature; however, at higher thicknesses internal stresses developed in the deposits, decreasing the ultimate strength of the Ni and Co coated fibers